Historical society offers memorabilia of Browns' title

Jim Brown, center, picks up a trophy presented by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, to the members of Cleveland Browns 1964 Championship Team, at Severance Hall in Cleveland, on Sept. 10, 2004. At left is Bernie Parish, and at right Paul Wiggin. The original trophy presented to the team after their 1964 victory over the Baltimore Colts is in the possession of the Green Bay Packers, who were the 1965 championship team.
(Photo11:
AP
)

CLEVELAND – Before he was an award-winning broadcaster, Casey Coleman was a 13-year-old accompanying his father Ken, who was broadcasting the biggest game of his career on Dec. 27, 1964.

The Cleveland Browns were taking on the Baltimore Colts in the NFL Championship Game at Cleveland Stadium. It was regarded as a formality for the Colts. In fact, Sports Illustrated had already put together a color cover with Colts coach Don Shula and quarterback John Unitas.

But the Browns dominated Unitas and the Colts, and Frank Ryan threw three touchdown passes, all to Gary Collins, for a 27-0 win to claim the NFL title. The color Sports Illustrated cover was scrapped in favor of a black and white one of Ryan.

After the game, Coleman and his father had the run of the locker room. Jim Brown, who ground out 114 yards, pulled off his shoes and threw them into a corner of the locker room. Casey Coleman took them home. Forty years later, Coleman — then a sideline reporter covering the Browns — gave them back to the team.

Those shoes are among the items on display at the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland's University Circle, as part of an exhibit, "1964: When Browns Town Was Title Town," commemorating what remains the last pro sports championship for the city.

"The dirt from the stadium is still on the cleats," said Ed Pershey, the director of special projects and exhibits for the historical society. "I can't think of a better artifact. It's iconic."

Pershey said the idea for the exhibit took hold in January. It was supposed to be a small one in the museum's lobby — not far from where the old Chief Wahoo statue from Municipal Stadium now stands.

But thanks to the Browns, former minority owner Bob Gries and some fans who had collections of memorabilia, a larger exhibit was designed. It usually takes about 18 months for an exhibit to go from inception to opening. They did it in six.

"It's kind of a short rope to hang yourself with," Pershey said. "Without that help, we wouldn't have been able to do it."

Because the exhibit was pulled together so quickly, a few items got away. Collins was awarded a Corvette as MVP of the game. Pershey said the car is in Arizona, and it would make a great piece for the Browns exhibit — or the historical society's Crawford Auto Collection.

Items that are on display are seats and a ticket box from Cleveland Stadium. The showcase also includes replicas of the busts from the five 1964 Browns in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — Paul Warfield, Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, Gene Hickerson and Lou "The Toe" Groza — and color film taken by a fan in the stands.

During the Browns' homecoming weekend, members of the 1964 team got to see the exhibit.

"The players really got into it," Pershey said. "I knew I had done a good job when I walked in and they had all pulled their chairs around the TV screen and were watching the videos."

Ryan said the exhibit was "spectacular."

"It was quite a widespread representation of the good things of our team," he said.

"It was a great tribute," said Warfield, a Warren native who was a rookie out of Ohio State. "It was a wonderful season."

Pershey said the reaction since the exhibit opened in September has been almost universally positive — aside from people being reminded that it's been half a century since the city of Cleveland could celebrate a championship.

"There's an awful lot of Browns fans who were born after that, and they want to come see it," he said. "We're hoping through the season that we get more and more visitors."

Browns Title Exhibit

The Western Reserve Historical Society is in University Circle in Cleveland. Its address is 10825 East Boulevard.

• The exhibit is open through the end of the year except holidays, from Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

• Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for 62 and older, and $5 for children 3 to 12. WRHS members, active Military with ID, and children 2 and younger are free. Group rates are available.

• Parking lot fees are paid at the admission desk during museum hours. The parking lot is located off Magnolia Drive.

• On the Web: www.wrhs.org/news/NEW_Exhibit_Celebrates_Thrilling_1964_Champions_Cleveland_Browns